Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
“Well, it doesn’t do anything for me, either,” I reply. I try not to roll my eyes.
I’m honestly surprised at the depth of animosity I feel for the human. I hate the way the red-haired girl hugs her body to Cian’s. I loathe him for smiling down and teasing her as lovers do. It’s obvious they’re finally sleeping together, and that fact chafes.
“You told me she was at odds with the brothers.” Kinsey Palgrave frowns, the expression marring his handsome face.
I shrug. I’m not sure why it matters. “I told you she wasn’t sleeping with Beckett. He brought her home and left the very next day for your home plane. He didn’t even spend that single night with her. He preferred to sleep in the barn. She wasn’t pleasing to him.”
Beck never thought to sleep in the barn when he was seeing me. Then again, he never actually spent the night. He used me and then walked back to his own cottage. I’m being forced to admit that my charms didn’t work on either brother the way I thought they would. I was so sure this form would work, but something went wrong.
“Well, Cian Finn doesn’t seem to have the same problem.” Palgrave’s eyes darken as he continues to watch them. “He’s obviously fucking the consort.”
“I don’t understand why you care,” I admit, studying the young vampire. He’s a royal, like the twins’ cousin, Dante. Unlike that imbecile they’re related to, however, this vampire is serious. He’s hungry for a mate and angry the consort was taken from him. He doesn’t believe the competition was fair.
Dante told the whole tale at the tavern the same night Beckett brought his bondmate home. I heard the name Kinsey Palgrave as one of the competitors Beck brutally defeated. So I contacted him. Kinsey was easy to persuade to my side. He bought the story of how desperately the human wants to leave this barbaric place. Now he’s faltering. I need to bring him back into the fold. I need to convince him to kidnap or kill the human.
“Do you honestly believe she can be happy here?” I ask. “She is used to a world with technology. She might enjoy sleeping with Cian, but living here? She’s not used to the hardships. Beckett is still gone from this plane. His twin is vulnerable. All of his power is in his intellect. It will be easy for you to take the consort from him.”
The vampire turns to me, his fangs out. They popped out the minute he saw that idiot human walking up the road. He has some form of visual aid device. I don’t care to look through it. The vampires rely too much on their technology.
“It might be easy to take the consort,” Palgrave agrees. “The trouble will be in keeping her. I came here because I believed she would go willingly with me. She doesn’t look unhappy. I could kidnap her, but what’s to stop her from running the first chance she gets?”
“You would.” I’m beginning to wonder if anyone has a brain. “Tie her up, for all I care. You would get the consort and your revenge. Beck will fade if he loses her.”
It’s the vampire’s turn to sound disbelieving. “More likely he will simply go insane and attempt to track me. This is wrong. I only came because I thought the consort needed saving. I’m not about to get involved in carting off a screaming consort, and I’m certainly not about to hurt one. You know what they say, be kind to consorts or you will never find one yourself.”
I nearly scream in frustration. My plan is falling apart because of an old vampire proverb? The royals have rules about handling consorts, but I didn’t expect them to be vigorously upheld during a time when there are so few to be had.
The vampire turns away from the sight of the couple kissing. “Besides, it’s a good thing in the long run. If the Finns can take back Tír na nÒg, our access to consorts will return. It is obvious that you are angry at the brothers. Did they break off relations with you? You have to be realistic, miss. They were always going to marry a bondmate. I have to be realistic, too.” Palgrave pulls his hood up as he makes to leave. “I came because I want a consort, and she’s lovely. She isn’t available, so the best I can do is make some money off the situation. I don’t think anyone knows the Finns have bonded yet. I’m sure that Beck went to the Vampire plane to make a deal with his relatives. I might have time to buy up some Dellacorp stock before the price goes sky high. I’ll make a bundle and look like a genius in the trades.”